Die for forming vehicle bodies



Jan. 23, 1923. 1,442,913.

E. R. swan/m0. DIE FOR FORMING VEHICLE BODIES- v FILED JUNE 29' 1920. 5 SHEFTS SHEE'I Jan... 23, 1923.. 1,442,913.

' E. R. STODDARD'.

DIE FOR FORMING VEHICLE BODIES.

FILED JUNE 29.1920. I 5 SHEETS-SHEE] 2- Jan. 23, 1923.

min JUNE 29.1920.

JAM/EN TOR flw Jan. 23, 1923. 1,442,913.

' E. R. STODDAR D.

DIE FOR FORMING VEHICLE B QDIES.

FILED JUNE 29, 1920. 5 SHEETS-SHEET w W I p m w a M 4 TTORIVEVS Jan. 23, 1923.,

E. R. STODDARD.

DIE FOR FORMING VEHICLE BODIES.

man JUNE 29. 1920.

5 SHILETS-SHEET 5- which will be (h.

Patented ten. 23, llhfio i ldi EDGAR a. sronnann, or soUrrr-r nnnn; nnrnnanssrenoa "r THE coaronarron, A oonrona rmn ernnw JEREtEYL ernnnisanna DIE roe romaine vnnrotn 30mins.

Application filed June 29,

To (ZZZ iii/tom it may concern:

lie/it known that EDGAR S roDnARn, a citizen of thellnited States of America, and resident of South Bend, in the county or St. Joseph andState 01 Indiana, has invented certain neiv and useful Improvements in llies t'or Forming Vehicle B0dies,ottvvhich the lbllowingis a specification. i

'lhis'invention relates to dies for press stamping and shaping sheet meta-l articles, and, particularly, relates to dies forproduc ing bodies-tor automobiles and similar vehicles. i i y Amongthe objects of my inventionlnay be noted. the following: to, provide fdiesby means of which vehicle bodies may be stamped or pressed out of a single sheet oil at W f i 1211, to produce in two operations a ve hicle body, such as the tonneau of an automobile. l v

With the above objects in view and others "led during" the course 0t 1 this description iny inventionconsists in the parts, tiziatures, elements and combinations thereof hereinafter described and claimed.

in :rder that my invention may be clearly u derstood, l have provided drawings wherein:

l igure is a front elevation of the priumrytemale die embodying my invention;

Ficnu'e 9 is a section substantially on. the line 2-2 oi Figure 4; l y

l ig ure 3 is a section substantially on the line l (it Figure 4; a v

l igrure' l is a front elevation of the primary male die embodying: my invention;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the second .vt oi" dies employed, showing: details oteonl'ilt'lion and sections heinp; broken away latter lllldOrStdntllllg; Figure 3 is a section on the linen-4S ot/ Figure i ll igurci is an end elevation of Figure 5 .inaterial in two operations; to provide con ventionally.

1920. Serial 1%. 392,814;

otFigures 1 at; and

Figure 18 is a perspective view of the final product or completed body-shape al'terheing subjected to the operation of the secondary dies of liigi'lres 5 to 11, inclusive.

lieierrii i to the drawings, Figures 1 to l, the innneral liindicates theibloel or body ofthe 'lelnale member of theiirst set of (lies, which is supported in any suitable manner, convozitionally shown at 'fhe'face ottlie ten e diehas the necessaryconformations or cnaracteristic ieati. er to produce the body-adm n: or first product shown in Figure 12. The male member of the die isindicated by $13 and. is supported by any suitable means, shown" at 4. Generally speaking, the ieinale die 1. has a central convexed g iortiiim indicated by 5, Which coop;

"erates with the concaved central portion 6 ot grr ioves are adapted to cooperate with the correepondin zly :lorined projections or protul'ie'rances 10 on the face of the male die at the, opposite sides of the concavity 6. The teiuale die l also has in its face angular cores indicated generally by 11, which exnd from near its opposite ends and bottom' inwanlly, and then upwardly and lllfli'l fflli' with a curve, as at 12, and then upwardly at an obtuse angle as at 1?). and" their inwardly in a straight line at alright-angle, as

to the concavityQ. The male die has corresponding -a ,n;rular projections adapted to cooperate iviththe grooves 11, 12. 13 and ill, the corresponiihng, cooperative projecting parts being indicated, respectively, at 11 12 13 and 14 The cooperative features of the dies just described also produce, together with the surface adjacent thereto, the general body-groove 15 in the female die and corresponding projection 16 in the male die above and around the rear portion of the formations? and 8, respectively. The remaining portions of the female die 1, beyond the characteristics just described, and composing the normal surface of the die face,

' are indicated by 1, and the male die has its ing. cutting, abrading or unduly'stretching or distorting the material. This is brought about by having all the like angles and curves, of the facial features of the two dies, lie in substantially the same plane which is parallel with the central transverse axis of the dies and which cuts the vertices of like angles of the respective dies, or cuts the points of juncture of the like straight walls or faces, of the dies, with the curved or angular faces, respectively. This is clearly indicated by the several dotted parallel lines shown extending between Figures 2 and The cooperative action of the male and female dies of Figures 1 to 4, produces the primary product, or bodyshape, of Figure 12, which, in this instance of my invention, is an automobile body of the tonneau type having all the necessary characteristics of said bodies except the parallel or substantially parallel, sides and double convex back, or back made to have convex curves in two directions at a rightangle to each other. These final features, shown in Figure 13, are imparted by the cooperative action of the secondary dies of Figures 5 to 11. It should be understood, however, that the primary product of Figure 12 is formed from a blank cut from a sheet or strip of metal, or other suitable material, said out blank being of predetermined size andhaving all the predetermined outline characteristics of the vehicle body to be produced.

After the primary product of Figure 12 has been produced, it is subjected to the second set of dies shown in Figures 5 to 11, wherein the base of the female die is indicated by 18 and the male die by 19. The female die is provided "with the parallel side members 20 which are grooved longitu dinally, as at 21, and are extended into flared or laterally inclined members 22 arranged at an obtuse angle to the side members or walls 20. Thus, the female die is provided with a deep recess 23, adapted. to receive the concavo-convex central body portion of the. primary product of Figure 12, the [lared side portions of said product being primarily set against the inclined extensions 22 of the female die. The base of the female die is provided with a tubular extension 244:, having a central post 25 surrounded by a coiled spring 26, resting at one end on the bot-tom of the extension and supporting at its other end the plunger-head 27 of the female die. The plunger-head is carried by the hollow plunger which works in the extension 24 and surrounds the spring 26. Normally, the spring holds the plunger elevated with its head 27 in the position shown in Figure 5. Vi hen the plunger is depressed, eompressing the spring 26, the head 27 bottoms on the seat or shoulder 28 of the base 18, and the surrounding surface of the female die is formed in continuity with the surface of the plunger-head 27, as indicated in Figures 5 and S, at 29, the grooves 21 in the side walls 20 being continued to said surface 29. The side walls 20 and inclined extensions 22 of the female (lie are braced and strengthened by the webs 30 extending from the base 18; and the extensions 22 are provided on their upper surfaces at their free ends with registering lugs or blocks 2H, of a shape adapting them to fit in the angle 32 of body-shape when the latter is laid upon the female die. These lugs 31 facilitate the operator in setting the body-shape in the die and prevent a careless or unskilled operator from making mistakes. Viewing Figures 7 and 8 it will be seen that the side walls 20 of the female die a re set at an angle to the vertical plane in which the male die 19 operates, and at a lateral inclination to the base 18. This is for the purpose of enabling the male die 19 to give the proper shape to the final product without distorting, straining or twisting the side body members of the body-shape as the latter is forced into the female die; also to enable the bottom of the female die and surface of the plungerhead 27 and the executive end :33 of the male die to be so located as to produce. at one operation, the double com-avoxronvex lmek form on an inclined plane. as shown in Figure 13, and this without straining or twisting the other portions of the bodyshape. 2' The base 18 is secured to a suitable support by bolts passing hrough the holes in the base. The male die 19 at its executive end is formed to cooperate with the bottom of the female die and the surface of the plunger-head 27, and, in addition. is provided with the lateral bulged portions or enlargements: 35 which cooperate with the a member of the l: ody-shape.

Thus the two sets of dies,the primary dies ()ff Flglll es 1 to 4, and: the secondary dies of Figures 5 to 11-,produce the respective products of Figures 12 and 13,

the inwardly bent back member 36, Figure 12, withoutwardly flared side-bodyn'iem bers 37 thelatter having ioutwardly bulged body portions generallyindicated by38, and inwardly bulged semi-circular wheel-receiving portions 3,9,and flanged rim por tions 10. a At thejunction of thebaek with the side flared portions, outwardly bent or transverse grooved portions 41 are formed. hen the body-shape thus produced by-the *primarydies, is subjected to the action of the secondary dies, the finishedpro-duct of Figure 13 is giventhe additional characteristics as follows The back is given the double coneavo-convex form at an inclination from bottom to top, as at a2, and the side-body portions are brought into approximate pai allelism. The bulge portions of themale die 19 cooperate with the grooves ll of the body-shape and prevent the latter from shifting orslipping in the femaledie when theimale die enters the latter. The product of Figure 13* is fitted-upon a bodyframe and the fianged portions t0 are haminei'ed, or beaten over the outline members of the frame to secure the two together; Additional means mayalso be employed if found necessary. The male die 19 is much narrower transversely than the opening 23 int-he female die, thusleaving space suflicient between the side walls of the two dies to admit the side members ofthe-body-shape between the two without crushing-or distorting the side members of the body-shape when the latter is subjected to. the action and pressure of the said dies. This, feature of the male die results in relieving-theside: members of the primary body-shape from all lateral pressure when it isforced into the space 23 of the femaledie. The male die 19 is shown assupportedby some suitable means, conventionallyindicated at-43. As heretofore stated, the spring 26 normally holds the plunger elevated, as shown in Figure 5, and in position to receive theback When pressure is applied to the male die 19, its executive end first presses the back of the body-shape, outwardly against the plunger-head 27, and continued pressure will cause thefemale plunger member to descendv 'ithin the extension 24. compressing said spring 1 26. After the final pressure uponthe male die jilllias been appliedto the body-shape,. the

said die is lifted fromthe female die and, the t lunger-head follows theinale die/19,- the two keeping the body-shape firnily'clainped between them until the position of the Figure 5 is resumed. From this it will be seen that the plunger-head has several important functions: it supports the back of the body-shape, overcoming any tendency to sag within the female die when first placed therein it resists having the following characteristicfeatures i Y the primary thrustof the male die, enabling the latter at once to bend the back of the body shape outwardly it cooperates with the male die in clamping the body-Shape, so

the body-shape, since it follows, under the expansive pressure of the spring 26, the male'die upwardly, still clamping the back oft-he body-shape, and lifts the body-shape fromthe female die, thus enabling said body a shape to maintain its form, as finally given in the secondary dies.

From the foregoing description, and with reference to Figures 12 and 13, itwill be seen that I have produced two sets of dies adapted to operate upon the same sheet of metal successivelm'in order to make, of a single piece of sheet metal, a vehicle body such, for example, as the'tonneau of an automobile. J rnd the successive operations of the twosets of dies produce all the essential and necessary characteristics of the tonneau body including the wheel grooves 39 in the oppositeside members, the conveXed back or central portion lQ, the concaved body portion 38 of the two side members into which the wooden frame of the tonneau body is set, andwthe bridged or symmetrically rounded junctions 41 between the side members and back. The general tonneau shape, or any othersha pe, is given in. the first instance, as explained, by cutting out a blank, of desired shape, from a strip of suitable sheet material; and there remains only the final operation, after the two sets of dies have operated uponsaid blank, of beating down or hammering the edges of the body-shape around the' wooden frame of the vehicle body, and suitably fastening said turned in or'beaten down edges, as may be found most convenient.

hile I have dealt with the characteristic features of the several dies with some particularity, in order to give a correct under standing thereof, I desire it understood that my invention is not restricted to all the characteristics or the particular features set forth, and that manymodifications may be made. within the scope of my invention, de-

I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a die couple having interacting central portions respectively conveXed and concaved and extending entirely across the dies transversely thereof; said dies having along the opposite margins of said central portions concaved and convexed portions respectively merging into concavoconvened portions which are elongated and extend toward the ends of said die couple, whereby to produce essential features of a vehicle body including a curved back and side body i'nen'ibers having wheel-receiving recesses.

2. A die couple for producing vehicle bodies, each comprising a curved central portion and two. end portions arranged at an obtuse angle to the central portion, the central portion extending entirely across the die body and the end portions having concavoconvened functional surfaces at an angle to the central portion and extending toward the ends of the die, and the latter having its margins surrounding said features plain or devoid of functional features.

8. A die couple for producing vehicle bodies, each of the couple comprising a rectangular member having one surface curved from end to end, said surface being centrally curved transversely of said member and from side to side, the said curved surface being bordered by additional curved surfaces extending only partially across the member and merging into other portions of the surface which are concavo-conv-x and arranged at an angle to the ends of said member and extending to near said ends.

4. In combination, a die couple rectangular in form and the female member of which is hollowed from end to end, the central portion being deeper than the two Wings, and said central portion being convexed in the direction of the length of the member, said die being provided in its hollow surface near its opposite ends with longitudinally curved, outwardly projecting faces merging into semi-circular grooves extending transversely of the member, said hollow surface also having a series of grooves extending from the bottom of the projections around the same to the semi-circular grooves, and the male member being provided with surface featnres cooperative with those of the female member.

5. In combination, dies for forming vehicle bodies including male and female members having interacting and co 'respondingly formed characteristic features comprising central curved members, end members the surfaces of which are arranged at an obtuse angle to the central members, said end members each having characteristics adapted to produce in a sheet of metal inwardly curved recesses in which the wheels of the vehicle may run.

6. In combination, dies for 'li'orming vehicle bodies comprising male and female members having interacting and correspondingly formed characteristic features comprising central curved members, end members the surfaces of which are arranged at an obtuse angle to the central members, said end members each having characteristics adapted to produce in a sheet of metal outs wardly projecting recesses into which the frame or the vehicle body may be set.

7. In combination, dies for forming vehicle bodies comprising male and female members having interacting and correspondingly formed characteristic features comprising central curved members, end members the surfaces of which are arranged at an obtuse angle to the central members, said end.members {each having cha'acteristics adapted to produce in a sheet of metal wheel recesses and body recesses extending up positely to each other in the thickness of the metal.

8. In combination, dies for forming vchicle bodies comprising male and female members having interacting and correspondingly formed characteristic features comprising central curved members, end members the surfaces of which are arranged at an obtuse angle to the central members, said end members each having characteristics adapted to produce in a sheet of metal a central member extended into two flared members and having at the junction of said flared members with the central member sul stantially semi-circular curves extending from near the top to near the bottom of the sheet of metal.

9. A female die for producing a primary product adapted to be converted into a vehicle body, said die having a central convexed portion extending transversely there of and two end members at an angle thereto, the latter each having beyond the convexed portion a curved projection, and above the latter an angular 'ecess.

10. A male die for producing a prinmry product adapted to be converted into :1 vehicle body, said die having a central concaved portion extending transversely thereof, and two end members at an angle thereto. the latter each provided beyond the (-011 caved portion with curved recesses above which is arranged an angular projection.

11. A female die for producing :1 ve hicle body from a partially' formed article comprising a hollow bod portion having parallel side walls and end extensimis at an obtuse angle to said walls, said extensions each having a gage block projecting therefrom adapted to accurately locate the article in the dies.

12. A female the for producing a vehicle body iron] a partlally formed artlcle, como prising a hollow body portion having paru extensions being provided with lugs for registering or locating the article placed thereon to be treated.

14:. A female die for producing'vehicle bodies from a partially i orined article having a rectangular base and parallel walls, extending at a right-angle therefrom, a tubular extension extending from said base parallel with the said walls, and a plunger operating within the extension and having a head adapted to seat upon the base at the bottom of the side walls, the

surface of the bottom of the base and the sin-face oi? the said head being flush with each other when in cooperative relation.

15. A. female die for producing a vehicle body from a partially formed article cornprising a rectangular, hollow body portion provided with two parallelside walls, each having lateral end extensions, and a plunger adapted to operate between the said walls, a spring adapted to suspend the plunger in elevated position, and means for limiting the inward movement of the plunger.

16. A female die for producing a vehicle body from a partially formed article com prising a rectangular, hollow body portion provided with two parallel side walls and an inner or bottom wall having); a concavity curved in two directions at a right-angle to each other, said bottom wall having a cen tral movable portion.

Signed by me, at South Bend, Indiana, this 21st day of May, 1920,.

EDGAR B. STGDDARD.

VJitnesses:

ELIAS W. STRIGKLAND, ALMA RHEAD. 

